1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of computer network management, and more particularly relates to allocating a network services among servers within the network.
2. Description of the Related Art
A client-server relationship involves the client sharing the resources of the server, and the server performing necessary services for the client. In a network including multiple clients and servers, each server within the network performs one or more installed services for most, if not all, of the clients of the network. For example, one of the servers of the network can provide a directory service for clients. In a network having a high distribution of services among the servers, the location of a server within the network affects the efficiency of the access by clients of the service(s) provided by the server. In view of the increasing complexity of networks, it is becoming unfeasible for an administrator of the network to decide each location to install a service or to utilize a pre-defined configuration in allocating services among the servers. The computer industry is therefore continually striving to improve upon methods and systems for optimally allocating network services among servers.